Setting-indicator for permutation-locks.



B. s. BURNETT.

SETTING INDICATOR FOR PERMUTATION LOCKS. APPLICATION FILED JAN.24, 1916.

1,197,444. Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

TIL-2.1 /fl TIE; E I /fi 5 20 ififimasm fin l/7Z1" Q 1 2 7 21/6// 15:jar/7627f BUELL S. BURNETT, OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

SETTING-INDICATOR FOR PERMUTATION-LOCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

Application filed January 24, 1916. Serial No. 73,925.

. To all whom it may concern:

useful Improvements in Setting-Indicators for Permutation-Locks, ofwhich the fol lowing is a specification. c This invention relates to asetting indicator for permutation locks.

The object ofthe invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive deviceby which a particular combination produced by adjustments of thetumblers can be readily ascertained and the lock parts at the same timeheld by the device in their operative relation, so that there will be noliability of the adjustment of said parts being disturbed while thenumerals of the combination are being ascertained and prior to the finalassemblage of the lock.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings,wherein Figure 1 is a front elevation of the indicator as in use; F 2 isa rear elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a central vertical sectional viewthereof; and Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the indicator as itappears when removed from the lock.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

I11 the drawings, the indicator is shown in connection with a lock ofthe construction disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No.73,926, but it will be understood that the indicator can be usefullyapplied to looks of other constructions.

The particular lock construction shown in the drawings embodies a dialplate 1 provided with a beveled dial face 2 and with an operating knob 8having a reduced shank 4 which provides an annular groove between thehead of said knob and said dial plate. The lock tumblers, of which themain tumbler 5 and one of the ring tumblers 6 are shown in the drawing,are controlled by a rotatable stem 7 which extends through the lockcasing and is actuated by the dial. The stem 7 at its rear end projectsthrough a slot in the shank of a sliding bolt. This bolt is not shown inthe drawings since it must be removed from the base plate 8 againstwhich it is normally held to permit the use of the setting indicator.

The bolt, which is very clearly disclosed in my copending applicationreferred to, has two projections, one of which engages a V-shaped recess9 in the main tumbler and the other of which engages marginal recessesin the ring tumblers, one of these mar ginal recesses being shown at 10in Fig. 2. The base 8 has a central opening in which the main tumbler 5is fitted and a radial extension 11 at one side of this central openingthrough which the projections of the bolt work for cooperation with thetumblers and through whichthe recesses in the tumblers are visible whenthe lock is viewed from the rear or outerface of the base plate.

The retraction of the bolt is produced by an operating spring at thetime when the marginal recesses 10 of the several ring tumblers are inmutual registry with one another and arein radial alinement with theprojections of the bolt and the recess 9 of the main tumbler. Therelation of the recesses 9 and 10 to provide for the retraction of theboltis shown in Fig. 2. The lock shown in my co-pending application isso constructed that thepositioning of the ring tumblers to provide forthe retraction of the bolt occurs in the order of the arrangement ofsaid tumblers from the base plate toward the dial. In other words, thering tumbler adjacent the base plate is the first one which ispositioned by working the combination to provide for the retraction ofthe bolt and the other ring tumblers are similarly positioned insuccessive order.

The setting indicator consists of a member 12 composed of spring metalhaving a general U-shape in side elevation whereby front and rear arms13 and 14 are provided. The. front arm 13 has its lower portion formedwith downwardly projecting parallel fingers 15 which provide an invertedyoke or fork. The spacing of thesevfingers from one another conforms tothe diameter of the shank 4 and their outline conforms to thecross-sectional outline of the dial plate. The arm 13 is providedcentrally between the fingers 15 with a downwardly projectingpointer 16which in the use of the indicator immediately adjoins the margin of thedial plate.

The rear arm 14 is provided with, a sight opening 17 to register withthe opening 11 of the base 5 and below said sight opening with anopening 18 through which therear end of the stem 7 projects and whosediameter conforms to the diameter of said stem. The arm 14 is providedat the upper edge of theopening 17 with a depending indicating finger 19which by its radial alinement or coincidence with the recesses of thetumblers indicates that the tumblers are at such time in position toprovide for retraction of the bolt.

The temper of the member 12 is such that in the use of the device, thearms 13 and 11 tend to spring toward one another; and the operativeparts of the indicator are so constructed that the indicator will besecurely held in operative relation to the look.

In the use of the device, the fork provided by the fingers 15 is fittedover the shank 4 and 'is pushed inwardly until its movement is limitedby the dial plate. The fork which the arms 13 and 14: provide straddlesthe look as shown in Fig. 2, the arm 13 being associated with the dialplate in the manner described and the arm 14 adjoining the rear face ofthe base 8. The said base has a marginal flange 20 provided with arecess 21 for the head of the bolt. The proper position of the indicatorrelatively to the lock is provided for by arranging the arm l t in therecess 21, and when so arranged, its opening 18 can be readily fittedover the end of the stem 7 and its indicating finger 19 will besymmetrical to a radial line, bisecting the outer or curved edge of theopening 11 of the base 8.

The use of the indicator presupposes that a change of combination hasbeen made by an adjustment of the tumblers but that the identity of thecombination has not been ascertained. When the indicator is fitted inposition upon the lock, as described in Fig. 2, the knob 3 is turned towork the combination. A known factor in the working of the combinationwill be the direction in which the first movement of the dial takesplace. The user, viewing the lock from the rear, as in Fig. 2, executesthe first movement of the dial, and in the course of this movement, therecess 10 of the tumbler 6 which adjoins the base plate will come intoradial line with the finger 19, as shown in Fig. 2. This relation, vlpsofacto, indicates the completion of the first movement of the combinationand thereupon the user makes a note of the numeral immediately under thepointer 16. The second movement of the dial is then executed and thecompletion of this second movement is indicated in the same way by thealinement of the'recess of the tumbler next adjoining the one previouslyset with the finger 19, and thereupon the second numeral of thecombination is ascertained in the manner described.

These operations are carried on until all of the tumblers have beenmoved to and are simultaneously in position to provide for theretraction of the bolt, at which time the combination for which the'lockwas set will have been ascertained. Thereupon, the arm the lock isemployed, and it is removable from such structure, in unitary fashion,with I the lock. tioned that it in no way interferes with the The wallplate 22 is so proporuse of the setting indicator. This will "beapparent from Fig. 3. On the other hand,

the indicator may obviously beused in the manner shown and describedwhere the look, when removed, does not carry with, it a wall plate orequivalent part.v

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the exactform of indicator shown since the construction admits of modificationwithout departure from the essential principles of structure andoperation.

I claim 1. A setting indicator for permutation locks having means forits detachable and immovable association with the lock structure, apointer for'cooperation with the dial and an indicating means forcooperation with the lock tumblers to show the unlocking positionsthereof.

2. A setting indicator for permutation locks comprising a member ofspring metal formed into U-shape and having a front arm 'and a rear arm,the front arm being formed to fit over the lock operating knob andhaving a pointer for cooperation with the dial and the rear arm beingformed to bear against the lock structure from the rear and to exposethe tumblers to view along a line with which certain parts of saidtumblers must coincide in the unlocking position thereof.

3. A setting indicator .for permutation locks comprising a member ofspring metal formed into U-shape and having a front arm and a rear arm,the front arm having a pointer for coiiperation with the dial and therear arm being formed to bear against the lock structure from the rearand to expose the tumblers to view along the line with which certainparts of said tumblers must coincide in the unlocking position thereof.I

4. A setting indicator for permutation locks comprisinga member ofspring metal formed into U-shape and having a front arm and a rear arm,the front arm having a terminal yoke to fit over the lock operating knoband having a pointer for cooperation with the dial and the rear armbeing formed to bear against the lock structure from the rear and havingan opening through which In testimony whereof I have hereunto set anelement of the lock structure may engage my hand 1n presence of twosubscrlbing witas a retainlng means and a sight openlng nesses.

having an indicating finger arranged to co- BUELL S. BURNETT. incidewith a line with which certain parts Witnesses:

of the lock tumblers must coincide in the FRANCES SHEPPARD,

unlocking positions of said tumblers. ROBERT R. MILAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

